Expanded structural member



1 A. T. KELLER ET AL 0,670

EXPANDED STRUCTURAL MEMBER Filed July 9, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l I gm nlovj fllberi 7. Kalle]; LkaI-Zes 90km mlemls' FM.

Aug. 6, 1935. T. KELLER ET AL 2,010,670

EXPANDED STRUCTURAL MEMBER Filed July 9, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 tgwuemtoid Alba/Z Z'K6Zl61 fiarles 452m mdlezl/ZG Fm Aug. 6, 1935.

A. T. KELLER ET AL EXPANDED STRUCTURAL MEMBER Filed ,July 9, 1950 4Sheets-Sheet 3 gwue'ntozd AerZ 7f Fella];

Aug. 6, 1935. A. T. KELLER ET AL 0 EXPANDED STRUCTURAL MEMBER Filed July9, 1930 4- Sheets-Sheet 4 gmtow fllber ZKellez? Z4 452126406 Lewis! zmw.

Patented Aug. 6, 1935 EXPANDED: STRUCTURAL MEMBER Albert '1. Keller,Bethlehem, Charles Schenck,

1 Coopersburg, and Lewis Fine, Bethlehem, Pa.,

. assignors to Bethlehem Steel Company, a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication July 9, 1930, Serial No. 466,614

' l 14 Claims.

Our ,invention relates to the manufacture of expanded metal bars, beams,columns, girders and the like for use in structural operations. I

. One of the objects of our invention relates to ,5, the manner offorming and mounting the delivery pinch rolls which are adapted toreceive and pull the expanded section through the expanding guide, oneof the delivery pinch rolls being yieldedges in such a manner as torelieve the pressure or load in the central slitters.

Another object of our invention relates to the manner of forming theslitting knives of greater height than the thickness of the web of thearticle being slitted in order to give a clearance between the face ofthe slitting rolls and the sides of the web, so that'the strands willnot become elongated during the slitting operation. In the drawings wehave illustrated our invention as used in forming an expanded metalI-beam but we wish it understood that our invention could be usedequally well in expanding other shapes as channels, 'Z-bars andthe likeif desired.

In the forming of expanded sections such as that illustrated, thebeam isfirst fed between feed rolls to the slitting rolls which advances thebeam and pushesit through an expanding guide adapted to expandthe web ofthe bar and finally advances it between the finishing pass of a set ofdelivery pinch rolls which flattens the web strands and at the same timepulls the expanded metal shape through the expanding guide.

It was found however that after the metal shape left the finishing roll'pass of ordinary construction where the rolls "had fixed centers ordraft that the shape of the bar would be distorted when r it issued fromthe pass.

It has been found by, actual practice that rolls j with fixed drafthaving a roll pass similar to that shown in Fig. 50f the drawings inwhich the sizes of the roll pass are in contact with the web of thesection, but nottouching any part of the flanges, with suflicientclearance to allow an increase in the draft without touching theflanges,

that the section when it issued from the pass was wider than the widthof thepass cut in the rolls,

and that the web strands will be buckled or laterally waved, and archshaped in top plan.

. The cause of this action can be easily explained,

by referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be noted that while thesection in passing in the direction of the arrow from left to rightthrough the delivery pinch rolls any draft on the web will elongate thestrands and due to their angularity, they will move outward from thecentral bonds in a curved path. This outward motion will in- V I creasethe width of the section and when the web becomes too thick, theincrease in the length of the strand due to the fixed draft will causethe strands to buckle. To overcome this buckling, it was decided torelieve the pass in the 10 delivery rolls so that it made contact on theweb portion adjacent to the flanges only with the central portion of thepass out of engagement with the web. It was found however that thesection after passing a roll pass having a relieved central portion thatthe section was somewhat less in width than the pass and in some of thesections the flanges were buckled outwardly between the side bonds andin many cases the strands were torn off where they joined the bonds nearthe go flanges, the reason for this being that any draft placed on theweb close to the flanges as described above will elongate the flangesand cause the strands to hinge at the center of the web where the twostrands meet.

This hinging action moves the flanges inward and reduces the width ofthe section and if the flanges are elongated very much, will cause apull on the strand and will tear them at the bonds where they join theflanges or at the center of the expanded section.

From the foregoing, it is evident that the amount of draft put on thedelivery roll and shape of roll is important. To overcome the difficultyexperienced, we have found that a strand having means adapted to give ayielding constant pressure on the web of the section can be applied onthe delivery pinch rolls which have a pass out in them as shown in Figs.1, 3, 5 and '7. This pressure can be applied by.means of apply- 40 ingweights as shown in Figs. '7 and 8 or if desired by means of fluidpressure cylinders mounted on the roll housing. With this arrangementthe strands are elongated just enough to keep them straight withoutregard to the thickness of the web of the expanded section.

Having now given a general description of our invention, we will now inorder to make the matter more clear, refer to the accompanying foursheets of drawings which form part of this specification and in whichlike characters of reference refer to like parts:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one form of ou improved apparatusillustrating the blank in the course of slitting and expansion of thesec shape of the .cutti. make a plurality of central cuts in the blank,

tion in which one set of slitting rolls are used;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. l with parts insection;

Fig. 3 is a top plan of a modified form of apparatus which is similar toFig. l but showing two sets of slitting rolls;

Fig.4 is a side elevation of the modification illustrated in Fig. 3 withthe ends of the shafts in section;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section of the meeting edges of thedelivery pinch rolls illustrating the manner of the grooved passengaging'the web of the section;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section view illustrating the manner ofslitting the bar;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the delivery pinch roll stand;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the roll stand shown in Fig. *7;

Fig.9 is a detail section View at the top of one of the sides of thedelivery'pinch roll housing tak- Fig. 10 is a top plan view of one ofthe cap plates for the delivery pinch roll housing.

Referring now to the various characters of reference on the drawings andfirst to Figs. 1, 2 and to 10, the numeral l indicates the blank orshape to be expanded, and 3, the feed rolls mounted onshaits and 5having knurled tractive peripheries 6 adapted to engage the blank andfeed it forward to a of slitting set of knife edges on one roll coactingwith the cutting knife edge on the opposite roll. The central knife iiiare spaced in staggered relation to the two outer sets.

By referring to Fig. 6 it will be seen that the knife edges are such asto the edges is of which will be 30 on each side of .a -vertical line atright angles to the web, or 60 in the included angle, whilethe two rowsof side slits made by the slitting knife edges H and fit as fo med tocut the Web of the blank at an angle of on. the inner side ill of thevertical center at right angles to the web and. 45

on the outer face as at it. The object of the change in the angularityof the outer slitting knife edges is to throw the metal which isextruded by the knife edges outwardly during the slitting processthereby relieving the load on the center slitting knife edges l2 andmore evenly distribute the metal and prevent stretching in the webstrands. The slitting knife edges on each roll are adapted to out halfway through the web of the [blank and are of greater height than halfthe thickness of the web inorder to give a clearance ll between thesides of the. slitting rolls and the web of the blank. After the blank.has passed between the slitting rolls l and 3 it is fed betweenexpanding guide 18 of well known construction having grooves on eachside to receive the flanges of the blankpassing through them in thedirection of the-arrow andgraduall-y expanding the web of the blank byforcing the strand l9 apart. These strands are connectedtogether-centrally at one end by means of bondsfiil and at the otherends opposite the flanges by means of bonds 21.

The feed rolls 2 and 3 and slitting rolls 7 and 8 advance the blankbetween the expanding guide 58. After passing through the guide, the

expanded section is received in the pass 22 be,

tween a set of delivery pinch rolls '23 and 26 adapted to pull theexpanded section through the expanding guide and to straighten theexpanded web. These delivery pinch rolls 23 and 25 have their shafts 25and 2t journaled in bearing blocks 27 and 28 which are mounted inguide-ways 29 and 30 of the frame of a roll stand iii. The side framesof the roll stand are each connected together at the tops by means of acap plate 32 the ends of which are bifurcated as at 33 to receive theupwardly extending posts 34 of the side frame. These posts areeachslotted as at 35 to receive a tapered key 36 for clamping the endsof the cap plates 32 in position. Formed centrally on top of each capplate and integral therewith near the inner edges is'a standard 137i tothe upper end of which ispivoted a lever 38 having a bearing surface 39adapted to engage the top end of a pin All. This pin 38 extendsdownwardly through an opening ll formed in the center of each cap plate32, the opposite end of each pin engaging the 'top of the journal boxes27. Each lever 38 extends horizontally outward and has a weight 12 ad-'justably mounted thereon 'by .means of which the pressure on theexpanded section passing between the delivery pinch rolls may be varied.

The shaft it of the lower slitting roll 8 is preferably the main driveshaft and has a gear :33 mounted thereon which meshes with idler gearsifl and'lfi on either side thereof which are adapted to mesh with a gearill on'the'lower feed roll shaft '5 and gear 41 on the shaft 2.6 for thelower delivery pinch roll "24. "In this manner the feed rolls 2 and 3,slitting rolls 1 and 8 and delivery pinch rolls '23 and '24 are allrotated at the same surface speed. Each pair of feed rolls, slittingrolls and delivery pinch rolls is geared together by "means of gears Mi,'3' and '47 which are mounted ons'ha'fts k'l,'9 and 25 respectively andare all adapted to rotate at the same surface rate of speed.

The operationof our device is as follows: .Assuming that the 'feed rolls'2 and "3, slitting rolls fl and 8, and the delivery pinch rolls I23 and'24 are all being driven at the same surface speed, the blank i is fedbetween 'theknurled feed rolls 2 and '3 which advances 'it to theslitting rolls the outer slitting knife edges of whichare so shaped thatthey throw the flanges outwardly during the slitting process and therebyrelieve the load on the center slitting iknife edges and all of theslitting knife edges are of sufficient length to allow for-a clearancebetween the side face of the slitting rolls and the sides of the webstrands so that when they cut :into the web of the blank it will notelongate .thestrands. After the blank i has passed between .theslit'ting:rolls it .is advanced into the guide .IB which gradually expands theweb of the blank by forcing .the strands l9 apart between the bonds 2i!and 2|. The expanded section is .thenadvanced into the .pass 22 of a set.of delivery .pinch vrolls :23 and E i one of which is vyieldinglymounted .and adapted to apply a constant pressure on the expanded web of.the section sufficient .to pull the section through the guide, vandthereby elongating the strands 'just enough to keep them straight aswill be more clearly ,understood by referring to Figs. 1, 5 and 7.

In Figs. 3 and 4 we have shown a modification in which two pairs ofslitting rolls Z8, is; 50 and 55 mounted on shaft '52, '53, i254 and "55are used. The first set .of slitting rolls 48 and 49 have outer slittingIknife edges-5B thereon, while the second set of slitting rolls havethecentral slitting knife edges 51 formed thereon, otherwise theconstruction is similar to that described for Figs. 1, 2, to Band thesame reference numeral will apply thereto. Although we have describedand illustrated our invention in considerable detail, we do not wish tobe limited to the exact andspecific details thereof, as shown anddescribed, buttmay use such modifications in, substitutions for, or

equivalents thereof, as are embraced within the scope of our invention,or as pointed out in the claims. i

Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. In a machine for expandingmetal shapes, meansfor slitting the metal shape longitudinally of its length, a guide forexpanding the metal shape, a pair of delivery pinch rolls mounted in'ahousing provided with a pass adapted to receive the metal shape after ithas emerged from the expanding guide for feeding the expanded shapeforward from the expanding guide, slide-ways formed in each side of thehousing, journal bear ings mounted in the slide-ways for supporting thedelivery pinch rolls, a slotted post extending upwardly from the housingon each side of the slide-ways, a cap-platehaving bifurcated ends forreceiving the slotted posts, a tapered key in each slot for clamping thebifurcated ends of thecapplates to the top of the housing, a centralperforation provided in each of said cap-plates, a pin mounted in eachperforation having its lower end engaging the top journal bearing of thetop delivery pinch roll, a standard opposite each perforation formedintegral witheach cap-plate, a weighted lever pivoted to each standardandengaging the top of the pin adapted to exert a constant pressure onthe expanded shape as it passes between the delivery pinch rolls, andmeans for adjusting the weight on the lever.

2. In a machine for making open work metal shapes, a pair of slittingrolls for slitting the web of the shape longitudinally of its length, apair of feed lrolls for advancing the shape between the slitting rolls,a plurality of cutting knifeedges extending outwardly from the peripheryof the slitting rolls, the cutting knife edges on one slitting rollcoacting with the cutting knife edges on the other slitting roll, thecombined height of the two cutting knife edges being of greater heightthan the thickness of the web of the shape,

means for expanding the blank after slitting, and

delivery pinch rolls tractively engagingthe expanded metal shapeemerging from the expanding means, and weighted lever means connected toone of the pinch rolls adapted to project one of the delivery pinchrolls towards the other to exert a yielding constant pressure on theexpanded web of the metal shape as it passes betweenthe rolls.

3. In a machine for making open work metal shapes provided withathickened central portion, a pair of slitting rolls for slitting thethickened web of the shape longitudinally of its length to form strands,a pair of feed rolls for advancing the shapebetween theslitting rolls,a-plurality of cutting knife edges extending outwardly from theperiphery of the slitting rolls the outer side faces of the cuttingknife edges having a greater angularity from a planeat the center of thecutting knife edges than the inner side faces adapted to throw theflanges outwardly during the slitting operation, the cutting knife edgeson one slitting roll coacting with the cutting knife edges on the otherslitting roll, the combined height of the two cutting knifeedges "beinggreater than the thick- .ness of. theiweb ofthe shape,.means forexpandingntheyshape after slitting,,delivery pinch rolls provided with'apass adapted to tractively engage theexpanded metal shape emerging fromt the expanding, means and adapted to exert a yielding constant pressureon the expanded web of the metal shape to straighten the strands as theexpanded shape passes between, the pinch rolls,

:and means for driving the feed rolls,-slitting rolls and pinch rolls insynchronism.

., 4,, In a machinefor making an open work metal shape from a blankprovided withfa thickened "central web, portion, feed rolls for movingthe shape forward, slittingrolis for engaging the shape during theinovement thereof to slit the thickened ,metal' web portion at spacedintervals ,longitudinallyof its direction of movement to form strands;meansfor expandingtheshape laterally after the slitting operation, a setof continuously driven delivery pinch rolls fortractively engaging androlling thethickened strand portion of the shape after emerging fromtheexpanding means, and weighted lever means; for moving one of thepinch rolls towards the other pinch roll to exert a constantyieldingpressure on the strands of the shape as it passes between the pincholls;

, 5. In a, machine for making-pan open work flangedmetal shape from ablank having a thickened central web portion, feed rollsv gearedtogether for moving the shape forward, slitting rolls geared togetherfor engaging the shape during the movement thereof to slit the thickenedmetal web portion longitudinally of its direction of movement to formstrands, an idler gear directly connecting the gearing of the feed rollswith the gearing of the slitting rolls, means for expanding the shapelaterallyat right angles to the flanges after the slitting operation, aset of delivery pinch rolls geared together for tractively engaging androlling the thickened strand portions of the shape after emerging fromthe expanding means, an idler gear for directly connecting the gearingof the slittingrolls withthe gearing for the delivery pinch rolls, aroll stand forthe pinch rolls having slide-ways formed therein at eachside thereof movable, and, stationary journal bearing blocks mounted inthe slideways, shafts for the pinch rolls journaled in the bearingblocks, and weighted lever means connected to each of the movablebearing blocks for moving one of the pinch rolls towards the other pinchroll and adapted to exert a constant yielding pressure on the thickenedweb portion of the to the flanges after slitting, a set of deliverypinch rolls for tractively engaging and rolling the thickened strandportion of the shape after emerging from the expanding means, a rollstand for the pinch rolls, having slide-ways formed therein at each sideof the standya stationaryand ,movable bearing block mounted in eachslide-way, shafts for the pinch rolls journaled in the bearingblocks, acap-plate secured to each side of the troll stand provided with acentral opening, a pin extending through eachopeningt'lfi with its lowerend engaging the movable bearing block, a post formed integral with eachcap-plate, a lever. having its inner end pivotally connected to eachofthe top:ends of each post and engaging the top end of the pins at anintermediate point, and an adjustable weight mounted on the outer endsof each lever adapted to move one of the pinchrolls towards the otherpinch roll to exert a constant yielding pressure on the web of the shapeas it passes between the said pinch rolls.

'7. In amachine for making an open work flanged'metal shape from a blankhaving a thickstrands of the expanded shape after-leaving the expandingguide, slide-ways formed in each side of the housing, journal bearingsmounted in each of the slide-Ways, a weighted lever for independentlyapplying pressure to each of the top journal bearings for the top pinchroll for projecting one of the pinch rolls towards the other adapted toexert a yielding constant pressure on the strands of the expandedshapeas it. passes between the delivery pinch rolls.

- 8'. In a machine for making open work metal shapes from a blank havinga central webportion and flanged edges, feed rolls for advancing theblank, slitting rolls having coacting knives having side edges of oneangularity for forming longitudinally extending spaced slits in thecentral portion of the web, coacting knives having side edges of adifferent angularity than those forming the central slits for forminglongitudinally extending slits in the web of the blank at anintermediate point in staggered relation between the central slits andthe flanges adapted to form strands, said side edges of the knives beingadapted to extrude and throw a major portion of the metal displacedoutwardly in forming the slits in the intermediate portion of: the webof the shape, means for laterally expanding the shape, and a set ofdelivery pinch rolls in spaced relation with the inside of the flangesof the shape adapted to exert a yielding constant pressure ontheJcentral portion of the web to slightly elongate and straighten thestrands.

. the central slits for forming longitudinally extending spaced slits inthe web of the blank at an intermediate point between the central slitsand the flanges in staggered relation with said central slits to formstrands, means for laterally expanding the shape, and a set of deliverypinch rolls provided with a pass in spaced relation with the inside ofthe flanges of the shape adapted tov exert a yielding constant pressureon the central portion: of the'web to 1 slightly elongate and straightenthe strands of theshapeas it passes between the said pinch rolls.

-10. Inamachine-for'making open work metal shapes from: av blankprovided; with av thickened central web portion and flanged edges, saidweb being provided with reduced regions between the thickened centralportion and the flanges, ffifidl rolls for advancing the blank, slittingrolls having coacting knife. edges with sides of diiierent angularityfor forming longitudinally extendingv spacedslots in the central andintermediate portion of the thickened web portion to form strandswithout elongating the metal therein, means for expanding the shape, anda set of delivery pinch rolls provided with a pass adapted toengage-the, outside, ofthe flanges and in spaced relation. with theinside, ofv the flanges of the shapeadapted to exert a yielding constantpressure on. the web to slightly elongate and flatten the. strands. ofthe shape as, it passes between the pinch rolls.

1 1:. Ina machine for making; open work metal shapes with a, central webportion and flanged edges,,f.eed rolls for advancing the blank, slittingrollshaving coacting knives for slitting the central portion of, the:web and coacting knives havinggsideedges of a diiierent angularityadapted to displace: a major portion of themetal outwardly ,to relievethe, pressureon the central slitting knives: for'slitting the webatintermediate points and in staggered relation between the centralslits and the flangesoi the blank to form strands, means forlaterallyexpanding the shape, and a set. of delivery pinch rollsprovided with a pass in spaced, relation with the inside of the flangesof the shape adapted to engage the central portion of the-web-toslightly elongate and straighten the strands by exerting a yieldingconstant pressure on the strands of the shape as it passes between thepinch rolls.

12. In a machine for making open work metal shapes from a blank providedwith a thickened central web portionand. flanged edges, said web beingprovided with reduced regions between the thickened central, portion andthe flanges, feed rolls for advancing the blank, slitting rolls providedwith coacting knives adapted to form longitudinally extending slits inthe central portion of the web, slitting, rolls providedwith coactingknives having cutting edges of a different angularity than the centralcoacting slitting knives adapted to throw the metal which is extruded bythe knife edges outwardly during the slitting operation therebyrelieving the pressure on the central slitting knife edges to moreevenly distribute the metal and prevent stretching of the strands, meansfor laterally expanding the shape, and a set of delivery pinch rollsprovided with a pass adapted to engage the central. thickened portion ofthe web to slightly elongate and straighten the strands by exertingv ayielding constant pressure on the strands of the shape as it passesbetween the pinch rolls. 1

13. In a machine for making an open work metal shape from a blankprovided with a thickened central web portion and flanged edges, saidweb being provided with reduced regions between the thickened centralportion and the flanges, slitting. rolls adapted to form longitudinalslits in the central portion of the thickened web portion, slittingrolls for forming spaced longitudinal slits inthe thickened web portionat an intermediate point, between the flanges and the central slits toform strands, means for expanding the. shape laterally after theslitting operation,. a. setof. continuously driven delivery pinch rollsfor traotively engaging and'lrolling the strands of the shape afteremerging from the expanding means thereby slightly elongating andstraightening the strands and means for exerting a yielding constantpressure on the strands of the shape as it passes between the pinchrolls.

14. In a machine for making an open work metal shape from a blankprovided with a thickened central web portion and flanged edges, saidweb being provided with reduced regions between the thickened centralportion and the flanges, feed rolls for advancing the blank, slittingrolls adapted to slit the central portion of the thickened web portion,slitting rolls mounted adjacent to the rolls for forming the centralslits adapted to form slits in the thickened web portion at anintermediate point between the flanges and the central slits and instaggered relation with said central slits to form strands, means forlaterally expanding the shape after the slitting operation, a set ofcontinuously driven delivery pinch rolls for tractively engaging androlling the strand portions of the shape after emerging from theexpanding means thereby slightly elongating and straightening thestrands, and means for exerting a yielding constant pressure on thestrands of the shape as it passes between the pinch rolls.

ALBERT T. KELLER.

CHARLES SCHENCK.

LEWIS FINE.

